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| Stonewall's bigot award prompts banks' threat to withdraw sponsorship | Stonewall's bigot award prompts banks' threat to withdraw sponsorship |
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| Stonewall has promised to press ahead with its annual bigot of the year award, despite pressure from two leading banks which have threatened to withdraw sponsorship. | Stonewall has promised to press ahead with its annual bigot of the year award, despite pressure from two leading banks which have threatened to withdraw sponsorship. |
| Barclays and Coutts both say they will rethink their support for the British gay charity's annual awards following complaints from Christian campaigners about the singling out of individuals for the bigot category. | Barclays and Coutts both say they will rethink their support for the British gay charity's annual awards following complaints from Christian campaigners about the singling out of individuals for the bigot category. |
| High profile figures, including Lord Maginnis and Scotland's Roman Catholic leader, Cardinal Keith O'Brien, have been shortlisted for the award after making insulting and inflammatory comments about homosexuality or gay marriage. | High profile figures, including Lord Maginnis and Scotland's Roman Catholic leader, Cardinal Keith O'Brien, have been shortlisted for the award after making insulting and inflammatory comments about homosexuality or gay marriage. |
| "Coutts are sponsors only of Stonewall's writer of the year award and have in no way been involved in the judging or support of the bigot of the year category," the bank said. "We have advised Stonewall that we will be withdrawing our support of the awards unless they remove this category." | "Coutts are sponsors only of Stonewall's writer of the year award and have in no way been involved in the judging or support of the bigot of the year category," the bank said. "We have advised Stonewall that we will be withdrawing our support of the awards unless they remove this category." |
| Mark McLane, the managing director and head of global diversity and inclusion at Barclays, said his company did not support the bigot category "either financially or in principle and have informed Stonewall that should they decide to continue with this category we will not support this event in the future. To label any individual so subjectively and pejoratively runs contrary to our view on fair treatment, and detracts from what should be a wholly positively focused event." | Mark McLane, the managing director and head of global diversity and inclusion at Barclays, said his company did not support the bigot category "either financially or in principle and have informed Stonewall that should they decide to continue with this category we will not support this event in the future. To label any individual so subjectively and pejoratively runs contrary to our view on fair treatment, and detracts from what should be a wholly positively focused event." |
| Ben Summerskill, Stonewall's chief executive, said the charity had no intention of amending or dropping the category. "We have never called anyone a bigot just because they disagreed with us," he said. "All the nominees have gone well beyond what anyone normal would call a decent level of public discourse. We welcome sponsorship from anyone who shares our core values, but we have an obligation to the 3.6 million gay people to do what is right, and highlighting extreme examples of bigotry when we know how harmful this unpleasantness is to the self-esteem of young people is right." | Ben Summerskill, Stonewall's chief executive, said the charity had no intention of amending or dropping the category. "We have never called anyone a bigot just because they disagreed with us," he said. "All the nominees have gone well beyond what anyone normal would call a decent level of public discourse. We welcome sponsorship from anyone who shares our core values, but we have an obligation to the 3.6 million gay people to do what is right, and highlighting extreme examples of bigotry when we know how harmful this unpleasantness is to the self-esteem of young people is right." |
| Five figures were shortlisted: Simon Lokodo, the Ugandan ethics and integrity minister, who disbanded meetings of gay equality groups and arrested activists; Maginnis, who described same-sex marriage as "unnatural and deviant behaviour"; O'Brien, who attacked same-sex relationships as "harmful to the physical, mental and spiritual wellbeing" and compared them to slavery; Philip Tartaglia, the Roman Catholic archbishop of Glasgow, who said the late David Cairns MP may have died because he was gay and claimed the death was shrouded in a "conspiracy of silence"; and Alan Craig, the Christian campaigner and former leader of the Christian People's Alliance, who compared gay equality advocates to the invading forces of Nazi Germany, dubbing them the "Gaystapo". | Five figures were shortlisted: Simon Lokodo, the Ugandan ethics and integrity minister, who disbanded meetings of gay equality groups and arrested activists; Maginnis, who described same-sex marriage as "unnatural and deviant behaviour"; O'Brien, who attacked same-sex relationships as "harmful to the physical, mental and spiritual wellbeing" and compared them to slavery; Philip Tartaglia, the Roman Catholic archbishop of Glasgow, who said the late David Cairns MP may have died because he was gay and claimed the death was shrouded in a "conspiracy of silence"; and Alan Craig, the Christian campaigner and former leader of the Christian People's Alliance, who compared gay equality advocates to the invading forces of Nazi Germany, dubbing them the "Gaystapo". |
| The bigot prize is one of three, with shortlists formed from votes by Stonewall supporters, the others being for community group and hero of the year. It is funded by individual donations. | The bigot prize is one of three, with shortlists formed from votes by Stonewall supporters, the others being for community group and hero of the year. It is funded by individual donations. |
| Among those nominated for the hero award is the Anglican churchman and Guardian columnist the Rev Giles Fraser. The event, to be held at the Victoria & Albert Museum on Thursday, will be hosted by the TV presenter Gok Wan. | Among those nominated for the hero award is the Anglican churchman and Guardian columnist the Rev Giles Fraser. The event, to be held at the Victoria & Albert Museum on Thursday, will be hosted by the TV presenter Gok Wan. |
| Andrea Minichiello Williams, the chief executive of Christian Concern, applauded the stance taken by Barclays and Coutts. "In seeking to humiliate and intimidate those who hold mainstream views on marriage rather than engaging with their arguments, Stonewall is stifling robust public discussion of an issue of great importance to the future of our society," she said. | Andrea Minichiello Williams, the chief executive of Christian Concern, applauded the stance taken by Barclays and Coutts. "In seeking to humiliate and intimidate those who hold mainstream views on marriage rather than engaging with their arguments, Stonewall is stifling robust public discussion of an issue of great importance to the future of our society," she said. |
| "It is deeply ironic that an organisation that claims to be opposed to bullying and even runs an initiative in primary schools entitled Celebrating Difference responds to difference of opinion by resorting to name-calling that, were it not more sinister, would be reminiscent of playground antics." | "It is deeply ironic that an organisation that claims to be opposed to bullying and even runs an initiative in primary schools entitled Celebrating Difference responds to difference of opinion by resorting to name-calling that, were it not more sinister, would be reminiscent of playground antics." |
| Last year's winner of the bigot award was the Daily Mail writer Melanie Phillips. In 2010 it was the now justice secretary Chris Grayling, after he was secretly recorded upholding the right of bed and breakfast owners to bar gay couples. Last month, the 2012 nominee Craig said if he won and was invited, he would be willing to collect his prize in person. | Last year's winner of the bigot award was the Daily Mail writer Melanie Phillips. In 2010 it was the now justice secretary Chris Grayling, after he was secretly recorded upholding the right of bed and breakfast owners to bar gay couples. Last month, the 2012 nominee Craig said if he won and was invited, he would be willing to collect his prize in person. |
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